Chamomile Pharmaceutical or Medicinal.

Chamomile Pharmaceutical or Medicinal: Everything You Need to Know

Chamomile, also known as medicinal chamomile, is one of the most common medicinal plants in the world. This is a herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, which grows in the south and central zone of the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the southern regions of Siberia. Chamomile is used in medicine and cosmetology, as well as in the production of alcoholic beverages and perfumes.

Description and properties of the plant

Chamomile has a thin, taproot, branched root and a single bare, branched stem 15-40 cm high. The main stem and side shoots end in small baskets. The leaves are alternate, sessile, twice pinnately divided. The plant blooms from May to the end of October, the outer flowers are white, the inner ones are yellow.

Chamomile grows in open meadows and near roads on light sandy soils. It is cultivated as a medicinal plant on well-fertilized light and medium loams. On poor soils it gives low yields and quickly ends flowering.

Use in medicine

Flower baskets serve as medicinal raw materials. They are collected at the beginning of flowering, until the receptacle has acquired a conical shape and the white reed flowers are located horizontally. The flowers bloom quickly, so they are collected at intervals of 1-2 days. The seeds are collected when the reed flowers wither, when the baskets take on a cone shape.

Chamomile contains essential oil, which includes chamazulene, flavonoids, cadiene, as well as caprylic, isovaleric acids and some other substances. It contains ascorbic and nicotinic acids, choline, coumarins, phytosterol, matricen, apigenin, apiin, herniarin, bitterness, carotene, gums, proteins and fatty acids (oleic, linolenic, palmitic, stearic).

Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, enhances tissue regeneration processes. Apigenin and apiin relax the smooth muscles of internal organs and eliminate pain.

Chamomile is widely used in medicine to treat various diseases, such as:

1. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: chamomile reduces inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, relieves cramps and pain in the stomach, improves digestion and reduces gas formation.
2. Skin Conditions: Chamomile has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and wound-healing properties, so it is used to treat various skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, burns, acne and insect bites.
3. Colds: Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, so it is used to treat colds such as runny nose, cough and throat.
4. Gynecological diseases: Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and soothing effects, which is why it is used to treat various gynecological diseases such as ovarian inflammation, mastitis, uterine fibroids and dysmenorrhea.

Chamomile is also used in cosmetology for facial skin and hair care. It has a calming and regenerating effect, so it helps improve the condition of the skin and hair, reduce inflammation and dryness.

However, like any other medicinal plant, chamomile can cause side effects if used incorrectly or if the dosage is exceeded. Therefore, before using chamomile for medical purposes, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.